Incredible MRI Images Show What An Opera Singer Looks Like On The Inside While Singing

Ever wondered what it looks like inside an opera singer? No? Us neither. But it turns out, it’s pretty interesting and very weird.

Scientists at Freiburg Institute for Musician’s Medicine thought it would be a good idea to stick Michael Volle, a German baritone singer, in front of an MRI scanner and watch him sing an aria from Richard Wagner’s 1845 opera “Tannhäuser”.

Once you get over the initial weirdness, you’re able to see all the subtle – and not so subtle – movements from the vocal chords, mouth, tongue, and windpipes that go towards creating a booming operatic singing voice.